Henry Louis Gates Jr. Discovers Family Connection Between Kevin Bacon And Kyra Sedgwick On 'Finding Your Roots' (VIDEO)

Last week, we told you about how renowned Harvard professor, Henry Louis Gates Jr., helped media legend Barbara Walters uncover aspects of her family origins.

This week, he's taking on celebrity couple Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick.

In the fourth episode of the PBS series, "Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr.," Bacon and Sedgwick find out that they share something else besides being husband and wife. Gates has already tackled the ancestry of famous faces like Corey Booker, Harry Connick Jr. and Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), uncovering shocking and unknown aspects of their genealogy.

Find out what Bacon and Sedgwick discover Sunday night at 9 p.m. on PBS.

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Comments

[Ganji]

08:23 PM on 04/17/2012

Funny how they and others thought it was "weird" that Bacon and Sedwick were *very distant* cousin..but somehow how gay marriage is not??

[taylomd]

10:31 PM on 04/10/2012

I would never watch this program. This guy Gates is dreadful.

[elcastle]

09:20 AM on 04/17/2012

I love it and watched it and will watch it. An there is nothing dreadful about Gates, actually I think he is very intelligent compassionate person.

[Harold Bloomguard]

12:24 AM on 04/10/2012

I'm surpised he wasn't to busy fighting with the Cambridge COPs. "Do You Know Who I Am!"

[just spewing]

07:33 PM on 04/10/2012

Tear every black man down, huh??? Did you know when Henry gates said " Do you know who I am" he was actually pointing at a picture of himself on his living room wall?? Want to tell us again why the Cambridge Cops decided to arrest him???

[Harold Bloomguard]

08:11 AM on 04/11/2012

Well JS I had a chance to read the reports that both officers on scene wrote (they were not both white you know). I know why he got arrested, his behavior got him locked up. This happened in Cambridge MA not Sparta Miss.

[elcastle]

09:22 AM on 04/17/2012

Would like to see you be locked up in front of your house for nothing..what would you say?
"You know who I am? I live here!!" And probably would be pissed..

[mr whiteffolks]

08:07 PM on 04/09/2012

WE all know who we are !

[mr whiteffolks]

08:04 PM on 04/09/2012

I think it's safe to say that most Americans can trace their roots to some town in England !

[lecole54]

08:29 PM on 04/10/2012

Er, not *most*.

[BN68]

05:33 PM on 04/09/2012

Did he discover that their main connection was marriage?

[hankjtate]

05:26 PM on 04/09/2012

Why dont he help Black people that dont have the resources to do this. These people are RICH!!!!! HELLO!!!

[mr whiteffolks]

08:05 PM on 04/09/2012

It's a bit harder to trace Blacks simply because for the most part no records were kept once the slaves arrived !

[JezebelAlabama]

09:48 PM on 04/09/2012

Actually since slaves were considered property, meticulous records were kept. However after the Emancipation, a lot of records were destroyed or lost. By the way in this day and age very few Americans can trace their roots to some town in England. THE GREAT AMERICAN MELTING POT!!!!

[meanlady21]

09:32 PM on 04/09/2012

Do it yourself. Ancestry.com is a web sites dedicated to this. My family documented our history 30 years ago and found the plantation which we were slaves on. You don't need Louis gates help.

[just spewing]

07:42 PM on 04/10/2012

Brotha, our history way deeper than some plantation!!!

[hankjtate]

08:50 PM on 04/15/2012

I have tried for years thru this website but I do not have the documentation u were fortunate to have. Thanks for the info

[3dtrix]

02:07 PM on 04/09/2012

Anyone who understands human prehistory and our movement out of Africa to settle the earth, knows we're ALL relatives, no matter what "racial" identity one may present.

The Family of Man isn't a touchy-feely notion - it's just how it is.

But there's a dark undercurrent to the business and collection of genealogical data that seems so wholesome and fun - its commercial presence in the marketplace is almost entirely an effort of the LDS church - known as Mormons.

Mormons are fixated on the collection of genealogical data - and have already amassed the world's largest data base of this information for use in furthering the aims of the church.

They are known, for example, to employ this information in the "marriages" and "baptisms" of the deceased - who may not ever have been Mormon in life.

Popular genealogical services and web sites (such as Ancestry.com) are almost ALL affiliated in some way with the LDS - and the LDS retains all data related to your search.

If you're good with this - enjoy.

But if you're not - maybe that's why the LDS keeps all of this so quiet...

[PoliSci2008]

03:20 PM on 04/09/2012

I'm not Mormon, but I think you're being a little unfair to them. Prior to the internet, and after, I did research via the LDS, and everything, including usage of the internet, is free. A few things are at a minimal cost (for photocopies .25 cents and microfilm rentals $6.50)...but there's no dark undercurrent to the business.... with the Mormons; it's a religious requirement with them to do their genealogical research.

[3dtrix]

03:53 PM on 04/09/2012

Many "religious requirements" are of dubious value to society as a whole - if the LDS were merely intent on accurate record-keeping of family records, that would be one thing - but using the info to further the (let's face it) expansionist goals of the church - especially WITHOUT making that plain, qualifies as a "dark undercurrent" in my estimation.

The whole "baptism" of the deceased thing is especially creepy to me - and they not only are VERY quiet about this practice, but insist on continuing it in spite of repeated protests of people who are deeply offended, and in particular, mortified that their loved ones have been "baptized" against their wishes.

Like I said - if you're good with all that - more power to you. But if one is not? And why - if the LDS believes that most folks would be fine with it - to they go to such lengths to keep it quiet?

[mr whiteffolks]

08:05 PM on 04/09/2012

Be careful ! People do not like hearing the truth !

[aphextwin07]

01:06 PM on 04/09/2012

paid advertisements huh, nice content....

[harriettubman]

12:51 PM on 04/09/2012

Colin Powell turned this show down, saying he had enough relatives, LOL.. Alicia Keys' grandmother told her she could not participate due to a family secret. Some people have parents who are not really their parents.

http://www.clutchmagonline.com/2012/03/alicia-keys-backed-out-of-finding-your-roots-because-of-a-family-secret-have-you-ever-discovered-one/

[ActaNonVerbaNow]

03:08 AM on 04/09/2012

Kevin.....in 1683, your ancestor came to live in a small Quaker village in the area of Philadelphia. We have court records showing your ancestor really liked to dance and had great difficulties with the local elders. He even courted one of the elder's daughters, causing more tension.

[Darrion Beckles]

08:54 AM on 04/09/2012

Hilarious, LMAO

[Ravenda]

10:53 PM on 04/10/2012

Now that is funny.

[Truth 19]

03:01 AM on 04/09/2012

He is not a racist because he does not have any power. Read, The Secret Relationship Between Blacks and Jews Vol.II and Jews Selling Blacks then you will see who has the power to be racist. Gates is just and imp working for the enemy.

[harriettubman]

12:39 PM on 04/09/2012

I'm so tired of hearing that phrase about racism and power; its from another era. The definition of racism and prejudice today have merged. It has nothing to do with power. I've seen some of the poorest white people more biased than the Sanford PD!!!

I like Gates' show. What doe it have to do with racial issues?

[linmarco]

04:49 PM on 04/09/2012

I wonder who thought up the new defintion?

[Truth 19]

01:49 AM on 04/10/2012

Read the books and you will see.

[Stephen Golden]

11:18 PM on 04/08/2012

Mr Gates refering to her as a "Jewish American Princess" is very racist. We already know how he feels about racism when it is pointed at him, does he feel it is ok to use enthnic slurs toward others?

[cuteliberalchick]

11:59 PM on 04/08/2012

How is princess racist?

[Absolute]

12:12 AM on 04/09/2012

Since when is that a slur? Many of my Jewish friends refer to themselves and their friends/relatives that way.

[Stephen Golden]

05:15 PM on 04/09/2012

...and we all know certian comedians use a certian word of pain and insult when refering to their black brothers, neither is a good thing.

[Stephen Golden]

11:14 PM on 04/08/2012

I watched this episode. For him to refer to her as a 'jewish american princess' is racist. I wish I had the chance to speak with him directly about this.

[GirlInNYC]

10:37 PM on 04/08/2012

"Who Do You Think You Are?" caters to celebrities. It makes it more interesting to me and more profitable to advertisers. Everyday people can do their own genealogy tests for $100 and share it with their loved ones who care or create a YouTube show to see if it really has potential.

[harriettubman]

12:43 PM on 04/09/2012

They should throw in a regular person about once a month too. It would be more interesting.